Yes, good luck to all Le Mans skaters this weekend, especially Quad skaters.

Also, would the quad skaters please express their appreciation for the race management people for finally realizing the benefit to the race that carving out a quad category offers, and that this can only help attract more quad skaters to the event!

Even suggesting that as an existing quad participant you will now be even more inspired to be seeking out fellow quad skaters to create more teams in future events.

I have been trying to wake up the organizers of the Chicago Inline Marathon to do this very same thing since the 2014 event, but so far they haven't seemed to care much for the idea.

Just came back from there. We were only 4 team involved in the Quad Category. You supposedly go on the podium only if there are 10 teams in the category or you are in the first third of general ranking. We were 2 teams able to end in the first third (mine was second), but the organization was kind enough to put the three first quad teams (out of four) on the podium. The quad catogory was only for teams of ten, whereas in Le Mans you can go by team of 1, 2, 6, 10, 12.

There were a lot of other teams including many other quad skaters. no solo (we were 2 last year), but a duo, and many other teams, some mainly with quads, and 1 or 2 inliners.

Inliners were chearing us a lot, especially when they realized how quick we were suprisingly able to be

I think it's important for these events to have quads category especially with the developement of roller derby. Roller derby players open minded on other types of skating are pretty few. These races are mainly a gathering of skaters, no thing realy to win there. And it's nice to welcome derby players in these events by taking the quad specificity into account.

Sadly Le Mans was the same day as 2 major roller derby event in France, so not so many derby players were there.

The team that get the first place was not a derby team (there were 2 derby players among them though), but mostly of long time quad skaters used to the parisian very fast street skating events.

Just came back from there. We were only 4 team involved in the Quad Category. You supposedly go on the podium only if there are 10 teams in the category or you are in the first third of general ranking. We were 2 teams able to end in the first third (mine was second), but the organization was kind enough to put the three first quad teams (out of four) on the podium. The quad catogory was only for teams of ten, whereas in Le Mans you can go by team of 1, 2, 6, 10, 12.

There were a lot of other teams including many other quad skaters. no solo (we were 2 last year), but a duo, and many other teams, some mainly with quads, and 1 or 2 inliners.

Inliners were chearing us a lot, especially when they realized how quick we were suprisingly able to be

I think it's important for these events to have quads category especially with the developement of roller derby. Roller derby players open minded on other types of skating are pretty few. These races are mainly a gathering of skaters, no thing realy to win there. And it's nice to welcome derby players in these events by taking the quad specificity into account.

Sadly Le Mans was the same day as 2 major roller derby event in France, so not so many derby players were there.

The team that get the first place was not a derby team (there were 2 derby players among them though), but mostly of long time quad skaters used to the parisian very fast street skating events.

I think a lot of the categories need overhaul.
First, I don't see need for the new Discovery 12 man class. 12, 10, what's the difference.
Endurance should go back to 5 man instead of 6.
Scrap students/enterprise. They are just soft ways to get podiums.
Scrap vet category or at least tighten the rules so that ALL members have to be vets.

Still, I am not really complaining too much. It's about taking part and personal challenge rather than podiums.

I think a lot of the categories need overhaul.
First, I don't see need for the new Discovery 12 man class. 12, 10, what's the difference.
Endurance should go back to 5 man instead of 6.
Scrap students/enterprise. They are just soft ways to get podiums.
Scrap vet category or at least tighten the rules so that ALL members have to be vets.

Still, I am not really complaining too much. It's about taking part and personal challenge rather than podiums.

With a 12 person group you can distribute shifts a bit more equal over 24 hours. Everyone does 4x 1/2 hour shifts or 2x 1 hour shifts (or whatever) rather than 4x 36 minute shifts or 2x hour and 12 minute shifts, unless you have people that'll run extra shifts, longer shifts, or whatever. Just seems like 12 is a nice number if you want equal shifts out of 24 hours.

With a 12 person group you can distribute shifts a bit more equal over 24 hours. Everyone does 4x 1/2 hour shifts or 2x 1 hour shifts (or whatever) rather than 4x 36 minute shifts or 2x hour and 12 minute shifts, unless you have people that'll run extra shifts, longer shifts, or whatever. Just seems like 12 is a nice number if you want equal shifts out of 24 hours.

It doesn't work like that - typically you will relay on every lap completion, so your time on track depends on how fast you are, and the shift pattern always need to be a little flexible and staggered.

In my experience a team of 10 is more than enough for speed, and the 5 person limit was good balance of speed & endurance. It slightly irks me that people compare a 6 person endurance team to the old 5 person limit. The difference is an extra 25% increase in rest time between laps - that's not insignificant.

It doesn't work like that - typically you will relay on every lap completion, so your time on track depends on how fast you are, and the shift pattern always need to be a little flexible and staggered.

In my experience a team of 10 is more than enough for speed, and the 5 person limit was good balance of speed & endurance. It slightly irks me that people compare a 6 person endurance team to the old 5 person limit. The difference is an extra 25% increase in rest time between laps - that's not insignificant.

Ok, makes sense. I should have disclosed that I have no experience in the event and probably should have posed it as a question than a statement.

But i don't really care about the 10/12 team members. It basically allows people to come as a team with their childrens. If the youngers are not able to have a true shift, then you are still 9 or 10. Plus , childrens are not allowed on the track between 10PM and 8AM I think. They introduced these last year with these propuse.

The fact that some team saw only an new easiest way to the podium and sign in as a 12 team with 12 speed skaters is the really sad thing, I think.

I totally agree with you about the difference between 5 and 6 as enduro.

All other sub categories are crap except for women and vets, the quad one too, since quad skaters did not wait for this category to exist to come to Le Mans on quads. The average speed was 24km/h for the first quad team, 22.3 for mine, which is quite honorable. a lot of inliners would be happy of such speed actually. So I believe we can compete with a lot of Inliners.

But Podium makes peoples happy and nice pictures, and does not cost that much

But i don't really care about the 10/12 team members. It basically allows people to come as a team with their childrens. If the youngers are not able to have a true shift, then you are still 9 or 10. Plus , childrens are not allowed on the track between 10PM and 8AM I think. They introduced these last year with these propuse.

The fact that some team saw only an new easiest way to the podium and sign in as a 12 team with 12 speed skaters is the really sad thing, I think.

I totally agree with you about the difference between 5 and 6 as enduro.

All other sub categories are crap except for women and vets, the quad one too, since quad skaters did not wait for this category to exist to come to Le Mans on quads. The average speed was 24km/h for the first quad team, 22.3 for mine, which is quite honorable. a lot of inliners would be happy of such speed actually. So I believe we can compete with a lot of Inliners.

But Podium makes peoples happy and nice pictures, and does not cost that much

My team did last year 4 and 5 overall with only 6 skaters (1 and 2 in 6 skaters category).

I've never been in Le Mans yet, and I'd like to join on Quads (maybe next year, but not sure) and also on inline (but I have to learn first... I started with the inlines a few months ago, and most of the time I'm still on quads).